Ardent
by Kristen257
Summary: Ron and Hermione stumble into moving past friendship and into love.


Author: Kristen

Title: Ardent 1/1

Website: http:magical-worlds.us/scribblings/

Disclaimer: I don't own the characters of Harry Potter. They belong to J.K. Rowling.

Spoilers: OOTP then AU from there. This is set at the beginning of my version of their 7th year.

Rating: R

Summary: Ron and Hermione stumble into moving past friendship and into love.

AN: Don't know where this came from. I sat down to write something PG and completely different plot wise and this showed up. Since I usually don't write anything higher than PG-13 I was quite surprised. Please let me know what you think, the good and the bad, but no flames please. Constructive criticism only.

Ardent: 1.) Characterized by warmth of feeling; passionate. 2.) Burning; fiery.

Ron stared mesmerized at the nape of Hermione's neck. She had her hair up in a bun today but still several rebellious curls had escaped and played about her neck as the warm September breeze blew them about. Hermione was standing in front of him leaning against the fence, observing the baby gryphons Hagrid had gotten for their seventh year Care of Magical Creatures class as they played in the pen set a distance from Hagrid's hut.

They had just finished visiting with Hagrid but Hermione wanted to watch the gryphons before heading back to the Common Room. Several curls seemed to frame that tempting spot on the back of her neck as if daring him to lean forward and…Ron abruptly pulled up and blushed as he realized how close he had come to just pressing his lips there and tasting her skin.

Hermione sighed in delight. "Aren't they the cutest things you've ever seen, Ron?"

"Sure," He answered without realizing it, while thinking the same of her. The breeze lifted the sweet scent of her shampoo toward him and he closed his eyes, breathing it in.

The clock tower chimed in the distance as night fell around them. As if realizing how late it was, Hermione suddenly straightened up and stepped backwards to leave. Ron wasn't prepared for her action and she backed right into him, losing her balance. Automatically, his hands came up to keep her from falling. They settled into the curves of her waist as if they were made to fit there. Ron looked down and that spot on her neck, that spot that was driving him crazy, was inches away. He did the only thing he could at that moment. He leaned down and placed his lips there, as he had wanted to do for the last half hour.

Hermione abruptly stiffened in shock as the sensation startled her. Her nerve ending sang with awareness and pleasure seemed to radiate from that spot to the rest of her body. She relaxed into his body with a sigh of content. Her mind seemed to cloud with new sensations as she sank into the feel of him. That body, the body of her best friend she had tried so hard not to notice, felt so good along her back.

At her actions, Ron's hands tightened, pulling her closer. She felt so good! His tongue darted out to taste her skin and she shivered. She tasted so good. Emboldened by her reaction he let his teeth gently nip her. The sound she made spurred him and he began to lick and suck that spot with relish.

Moments later he lifted his mouth to gaze with satisfaction at the mark he had left.

_"Ron…"_

The sound of his name from Hermione's lips, spoken in that tone of voice weakened him. Suddenly he had to see her face. He wanted to look into her eyes when she said his name like that. He wanted to see the feelings there, feelings he had desperately hoped she would feel one day for him and him alone.

"Hermione," he breathed out her name as he turned her to face him. She was everything and more than he imagined she would be when he fantasized of seeing her like this.

Her cheeks were flushed and she was gazing at him with such need it blew him away. Her hand rose to cup his cheek tenderly before running her fingers through his hair. Her nails scratched gently at his scalp and he hissed with pleasure as he dropped his head in bliss.

An amused smile played on her face while she brought her other hand up. "I love your hair," she said.

Ron moaned with pleasure when her hands dropped down to massage his neck and shoulders.

Hermione blushed at the sound but there was a pleased look in her eyes. Her stomach tightened at the reaction she was getting from him. It was the sexiest thing she had ever experienced. She couldn't believe she was touching him like this. She had often admired the changes in his body that Quidditch had made in the last two years. There was muscle now his tall frame and wide shoulders. He looked so good in his robes and she knew other girls thought so too since she had caught them stealing glances at him when they walked through the halls.

Her hands smoothed down over his hard chest and they delighted in the feel of his flat stomach before sweeping up again.

Ron's mind was overrun with sensations. He couldn't believe this was happening. Was he dreaming? He surreptitiously pinched himself to check. Nope this wasn't another one of his many dreams about her.

He slid his arms around her waist to pull her closer. They both moaned at the feel of being pressed together. Ron's hands swept up and down Hermione's back taking in the feel of her, sending tingles of pleasure to her nerve endings. He marveled at how tiny she seemed compared to him. Her hands rose to twine about his neck and play with the strands of hair there.

Ron's hands then moved up to pull her hair out of its confining bun. It tumbled down in thick curls, no longer so bushy as it once was. He didn't know what she did differently to her hair but it looked amazing. He combed his fingers through her curls and with a blush imagined how it would look spread over his pillows or across his chest if she lay there.

"You're so beautiful, Mione."

Hermione blushed at his words and dropped her eyes.

"Hermione, don't look away." He gently lifted her gaze to meet his with his hand under her chin.

He was doing something to her name, she thought. It sounded different. It took her a minute before her eyes widened in realization. He was changing the pronunciation until it sounded like he was saying Mine instead of Mione.

"Ron, my name… You…" Hermione stuttered.

His hands cupped her face and she faltered at the sight if his eyes. They blazed with desire, but most importantly, with love. It made her stomach flip and she longed to get even closer though it wasn't possible. The line of their bodies was already pressed tightly to each other.

"Are you mine?" he asked.

She didn't think of Harry and his reaction, or what the Weasleys would say, how the twins might tease them. She didn't think of the ongoing war with Voldemort or what could happen in the future. All she thought about was her heart and the fact that she always wanted to see the love in his shining back at her the way it was now.

"Yes." The words slipped easily from her lips. "I'm yours. I love you, Ron."

His face lit up and his eyes glowed with happiness at her words. _"Hermione…"_ He said her name with reverence. "I love you so much."

Later, neither knew who moved first, but their lips came together then in their first and sweetest kiss of their new lives together.

End Fic.


End file.
